By Patrice Fidgeon
Pictures: Gina Milicia
Russell Crowe, Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman, Kylie Minogue, Natalie Imbruglia, Simon Baker and Portia de Rossi were among the first stars to offer their support to bushfire victims.
Gladiator star Russell says he would do “anything at all” for the Victorian bushfire victims and Kathy Lette, Dannii Minogue, along with Kylie and Natalie, and are joining forces to host a benefit in London.
Los Angeles-based actors Cameron Daddo, Rachel Griffiths and Portia, along with Ellen DeGeneres, will do the same to help devastated Victorians, whose plight has touched people around the world.
The unending generosity of Australians here and abroad was highlighted on Thursday night when the Nine Network raised millions in a telethon: Australia Unites ? The Bushfire Appeal.
Former Olympic champion swimmer Giaan Rooney says she hopes the telethon and messages of hope from celebrities around the world will at least provide a little hope.
“You always hope you get to do something where you can help others. That’s what TV is all about at a time like this ? to provide a distraction and give people a bit of hope,” she says.
“What do you say to people who have lost loved ones, lost their homes ? lost everything they own? They need hope.”
Nine weather presenter and Temptation co-host Livinia Nixon was in Queensland when she found her dad’s farm was in the path of the fire ? and a close friend’s mum lost her home at Marysville.
“A friend of mine texted me to say her mother’s home had been razed to the ground in Marysville. She lost not only her home but all her possessions ? everything. All that was saved were her two dogs. Marysville had been totally devastated. I think only the bakery was left standing.
“It was such a beautiful area ? so close to Melbourne. I’d been there often ? doing stories and I used to go cross country skiing at nearby Lake Mountain.”
Livinia says presenting the weather meant she was fully aware Saturday was always going to be a dreadful day.
“Not only unprecedented high temperatures, but northerly winds gusting up to 100km per hour.
“But when it hit watching what was coming through on the news services, it was really too much to comprehend,” Livinia says sadly.
Livinia was shocked but also fearful for her father who has a farm at Yea, one of the surrounding areas which was also affected.
“I was beside myself trying to contact my father ? worried sick because he was on his own ? and his farm is only half an hour from Marysville,” she says. “I had a few meltdowns when I couldn’t on so many occasions and I kept hearing about lightning strikes where he was.”
“Fortunately he got through it. And when you see what is coming in now in terms of support, you really do see the best of people. Aussies are great when the chips are down. We all pull together.”
The Melbourne Footy Show’s co-host James Brayshaw who helped host Eddie McGuire run the telethon, was flying back to Melbourne when he first heard about the devastation the bushfires had wreaked on Victoria.
“I knew something bad was happening in Victoria but it wasn’t until I was at the airport and saw the papers that it really hit me ? Oh my God,” James says. “I had no comprehension until then just how bad it was.”
“I think the fact Nine jumped in so quickly with the telethon was a fantastic initiative. You often feel in TV that it can be a pretty vacuous business, but when you get the chance to pull something like this together it’s a great feeling to know you can really do some good.”
Find out how you can help.
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For more on the bushfires, don’t miss next week’s Woman’s Day (on sale February 16).
Return to our bushfires main page.
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